NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence

About the NAW Institute

The NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence conducts research into strategic management issues affecting the wholesale distribution industry. Our research is conducted with best practice wholesaler-distributors, and we publish leading-edge research studies with practical application for wholesale distribution firms of all sizes and across all lines of trade.

NAW Institute's Mission

“To sponsor and disseminate research into strategic management issues affecting the wholesale distribution industry. The NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence aims to help merchant wholesaler-distributors remain the most effective and efficient channel in distribution.”

Groundbreaking Research

The NAW Institute’s best projects are those that wholesale distribution industry executives bring to us, because those are the projects that will solve real-world business problems. Learn more about submitting a proposal to the NAW Institute.

If you have questions about the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence Publishing Program, please contact Ruth Stadius at rstadius@naw.org.

The research priorities of the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence center on the strategic management issues that leading wholesale distribution companies view as most important for improving their business performance and profitability. The research priorities are updated on a rolling basis, beginning with surveys and discussions, and culminating with issuance of a formal list of the NAW Institute’s research topics for publication.

Criteria for selection of research topics include:

Potential contribution to advancing the state of knowledge in wholesale distribution

Probability of the research to have a practical impact on improving wholesaler-distributors’ business processes and profitability

Assurance that the topic is researchable

Originality of the proposed research

Quality of proposal development

Qualifications of the researcher(s) to conduct the project.

Current research topics for publications include:

Business Relationships

Financial Management

Innovation

Marketing

Operational Efficiency

Profitability and Pricing

Sales Management

Strategic Planning

Supply Chain Management

Talent Management

Technology

Trends in Wholesale Distribution

Value Creation

Warehouse and Inventory Management

The NAW Institute supports work that includes a primary research component in order to advance the state of knowledge in wholesale distribution. No one research approach or methodology is favored over another as long as the form is appropriate to the objectives of the research. We encourage development of work that—in addition to the primary research component—includes a practical, prescriptive aspect that is written in business language. Our objective is to apply the primary research in such a way that it is usable by industry executives immediately.

The NAW Institute encourages consultants and academicians with expertise in wholesale distribution to submit a proposal to the NAW Institute for consideration as a research project. Proposals may be submitted to Patricia A. Lilly, Executive Director, NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence, 1325 G Street NW, Suite 1000, Washington, DC 20005-3134. Email: plilly@naw.org.

About the CRDBP

In January 2009, the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence and Texas A&M University’s Industrial Distribution Program launched an alliance dedicated to furthering the understanding and application of best practices in wholesale distribution. In doing so, the NAW Institute and Texas A&M combine the research and brand power of two well-known organizations serving wholesaler-distributors. Together, the NAW Institute and Texas A&M have formed a new entity—the Council for Research on Distributor Best Practices or CRDBP.

The field of wholesale distribution continues to experience dramatic change. Distributors have faced challenges in the form of expanding service offerings, pricing pressure, cost controls, and spiraling logistics costs for many years. For more than 50 years, the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence has provided cutting-edge research and publications for sharing best practices. As the field of distribution continues to become more competitive, the need for higher levels of research to identify and document new best practices becomes ever greater.

The CRDBP is dedicated to furthering the understanding and application of best practices in wholesale distribution. The mission of the CRDBP will be to assist wholesaler-distributors and their suppliers through creating strategies for competitive advantage.

Through the CRDBP, NAW has published the following groundbreaking research studies:

NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence Fellows

The Fellows Program was established in 1999. It is intended to recognize outstanding individuals from the academic and consulting communities doing excellent work to expand the body of knowledge about the wholesale distribution industry. When it comes to research and authoring practical reports that can assist distribution companies to be more profitable, these Fellows are our crown jewels.

J. Michael Marks

Indian River Consulting Group (IRCG) is an experience-driven firm that continues to focus on the wholesale distribution channel.

Prior to forming IRCG, Mike held the position of Executive Vice President at Lex Electronics, a vertically integrated electronics distributor in Stamford, Connecticut. Prior to that, he was Director of Corporate Training and Development at Ducommon Inc., an industrial distribution company in Los Angeles, California.

Official Guide to Wholesaler-Distributor Financial Success—Three-Volume Set

The Acquisitive Distributor: 4 Keys to Success When Buying a Wholesale Distribution Business

More to the Bottom Line: Customer Profitability Analysis Tools for Distributors

Barry Lawrence, Ph.D.

Dr. Barry Lawrence, Director of the Industrial Distribution Program and the Global Supply Chain Lab (GSCL) at Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, was named a Fellow in 2009.

The GSCL is the nation’s premier distribution-focused research lab, providing state-of-the-art distribution and supply chain research solutions to the wholesale distribution industry. The lab partners with the distribution industry to help companies solve complex problems. These partnerships have resulted in millions of dollars in cost savings, inventory reductions, and margin improvements.

Barry also heads up Texas A&M’s efforts with the Council for Research on Distributor Best Practices (CRDBP), an alliance between the NAW Institute for Distribution Excellence and Texas A&M University’s Industrial Distribution Program that launched in 2009 to further the understanding and application of best practices in wholesale distribution. The mission of the CRDBP is to create competitive advantage for wholesaler-distributors through development of research, tools, and education.

Mark Dancer

Mark Dancer is a leading authority and author on channel innovation and transformation and his focus is on strengthening the practice and impact of channel innovation through awareness, advocacy and research. Mark is a frequent speaker and workshop facilitator. Drawing on leading-edge channel research, creative insights and practical experience, he helps channel innovators develop foresight, build visions and achieve goals. His work draws on 30 years of channel research, strategy and planning across global markets and technology, commercial, industrial, services, construction, food and beverage, automotive and other sectors.